Therapeutic Meditation for

Mind-Brain-Body Transformation

Presented by

C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD and Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD

www.simpkins.radiantdolphinpress.com

Visit our Facebook Pages:

The Dao of Neuroscience

Meditation and Yoga in Psychotherapy

Meditation for Therapists and Their Clients

Annellen Simpkins, PhD and C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD

Neuro-Hypnosis
 Therapeutic Meditation for Mind-Brain-Body Transformation

Presented by

C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD and Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD

Learning Objectives:

1) To describe key meditation efficacy research.

2) To explain current neuroscience findings about how meditation alters brain

structures and functions and rebalances the nervous system.

3) To summarize key brain structures and nervous system pathways and functions that
clinicians need to know including neuroplasticity, mirror neurons, and interpersonal
neurobiology

4) To appreciate the rich cultural and philosophical traditions of meditation practices

and grasp their important cognitive-behavioral correlates for applying them
therapeutically.

5) To list different meditation techniques for relieving stress, anxiety, depression,

bipolar disorder, pain, addiction, and trauma.

6) To acquire meditation skills in the varieties of meditation methods (focused, open,

and self-transcending) including breathing, mindfulness, compassion, Zazen, and
wuwei.

Presenters Biography: C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD and Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD

are psychologists specializing in meditation, hypnotherapy, and neuroscience. The

Simpkins are authors of 26 books, including their most recent releases: Zen Meditation in

Psychotherapy (Wiley, 2012), Meditation and Yoga in Psychotherapy (Wiley, 2011), The

Dao of Neuroscience (Norton, 2010), Meditation for Therapists and Their Clients

(Norton 2009), Neuro-Hypnosis (Norton, 2010), and forthcoming Neuroscience for

Clinicians (Springer, 2012), and The Tao of Bipolar Disorder (New Harbinger, 2012).
Some of their Eastern philosophy titles include the ever-popular Simple Series: Simple

Zen, Simple Buddhism, Simple Taoism, and Simple Tibetan Buddhism (Tuttle Publishing,

1999-2001) and Meditation from Thought to Action with Audio CD (Radiant Dolphin

Press, 1999; 2007). They have been practicing psychotherapy for more than three

decades. They present seminars on meditation and hypnosis worldwide. And they are

involved in several research projects. The Simpkins look at psychotherapy through the

crystal of a unique vision, which they bring to you with warmth and clarity in their books

and teaching seminars.

Seminar Overview:

Each of us, in our core nature, is healthy. But problematic behaviors, thoughts,

and feelings get in the way of expressing our deeper, true being. Meditation is a tool to

get to know this awake, aware nature. In the meditative moment, we overcome

difficulties by doing what we need and expressing ourselves as we truly are.

Learn the significant neuroscience and efficacy findings, prominent meditation

traditions, and how to integrate meditation into treatment. Experience meditation’s most

profound practices, drawn from Yoga, Buddhism, Daoism, and Zen. Discover the

different forms of meditation: Focusing (eg. Yoga meditations), Open-monitoring (eg.

Mindfulness meditations), and Self-Transcending/Unconscious Meditations (eg. Zazen

and Wuwei). Learn when to apply them for specific problems. With teaching stories, case

examples, and daily meditations, we invite you to wake up to your deeper nature and

open the path for your patients.

Schedule:

April 27: The Science of Meditation. Introduction of Meditation to the West/

Meditation Research and Therapeutic Efficacy/ Neuroscience: A brief tour through the

brain/ Neuroplasticity/ Review of significant neuroscience research/ Variety of

meditation methods: focus, open, and transcending/ What all meditations share in

common/ Learning Meditation: Honing meditative tools, a gentle introduction to use with

clients/ Training in focus meditations for mind and body: Breathing, simple postures,

pratyahara, dharana, and dhyana meditation methods.

April 28: Make a Paradigm Shift. Philosophical and spiritual meditation

traditions of Yoga, Buddhism, Daoism, and Zen/ Key concepts, cognitive correlates, and

mental training/ Integrating meditation into treatments/ Learning meditation for

therapists/ Teaching meditation to clients/ Working with special populations: The elderly

and children/ Meditation Practice: Open monitoring meditations: Mindfulness/ Gratitude

and compassion meditations/ Therapeutic Meditations for stress, anxiety, trauma,

depression, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse.

April 29: East Meets West. Integrating East and West/ Indra’s Net and neural

networks/ Discovering mind and brain / Oneness with others, mirror neurons/ The

polyvagal theory/ The social brain/ Meditation Practice: Enhancing interpersonal

relationships meditatively/ Personal meditations on relationships/ Mindful mirroring/

Chi-sao/ Discovering balance, compassion, and love in relationships/ Expanding

potential/ Broadening thinking/ Training in self-transcending meditations to activate

unconscious processes/ Letting go to movement (Qigong)/ Letting be (Wuwei)/ Koans/

Zazen/ Working with meditation therapeutically/ Review

 3/29/12

C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD

Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD

simpkins.radiantdolphinpress.com
For addi8onal informa8on visit our Facebook Pages:
The Dao of Neuroscience
Medita8on and Yoga in Psychotherapy
Medita8on for Therapists and Their Clients
Annellen Simpkins, PhD & C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD
Annellen‐Alex Simpkins

The Science of Medita<on

Friday, April 27

“I have to thank you of America for the great aCempt you are
making to break down the barriers of this liCle world of ours, and I
hope that in the future the Lord will help you to accomplish your
purpose.”
Vivekananda, 1953, p. 184.

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The First World Parliament of Religions!

• 1893
• Held in Chicago
• Brought great teachers together

Vivekananda (1863‐1902)

•Keynote speaker at the First Word Parliament of

Religions

•Hindu yogi, prac88oner of Vedanta

•Spokesman for common features in all religions

•Opened the way for scien8fic inquiry

D.T. Suzuki (1870‐1966)!

• Translator for the Zen representa8ve at 1893

conference

• Sponsored in the US to translate classics

• Married a Westerner‐‐Bridged East and West

• Influen8al teacher and writer of many books

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J. Krishnamur8 (1895‐1986)

•Involved with Theosophical Society in India

•Turned down the role of world teacher &

disavowed allegiance to any organiza8on

•Devoted to thoughcul, objec8ve, clear

awareness of medita8on

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1917‐2008)

•Founder of TM (Transcendental
Medita8on)

•Very ac8ve career

•Many notables studied with him

•Founded a university

• Funded more than

600 studies of medita8on

“Through the window of science we see the dawn of the age of

enlightenment.”
(Maharishi, 1975)

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Historical Development of
Medita<on Research

Early Western Scien<fic Interest

GoVried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646‐1716)

•Great philosopher
•Early philosophers were the scien8sts of that period
•

•Deeply involved in Chinese studies.

•Believed in the unity of all things
•Cornerstone of his philosophy
•“I do not conceive of any reality at all as without genuine unity.” (Leibniz,
in Perkins 2004, 70)

•A primary founder of modern calculus

•Embraced the Eastern idea that all is con8nually changing
•May have inspired his idea of calculus: the mathema8cs of change

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Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803‐1882)

•Cast Eastern ideas into his

transcendental philosophy
•Universe has a divine, ordered nature

•Similar to the ancient Chinese

philosophy of the Dao

•“These laws execute themselves. They

are out of space, and not subject to
circumstance”
(Emerson in James, 1918, p. 43).

L. Aus<ne Waddell (1854‐1938)

•English explorer, army surgeon, & author

•Sta8oned in India with Indian Medical Service

•Took an ac8ve interest in medita8on

•Transferred to Tibet and delved into Tibetan Buddhism

•Wrote a book: The Buddhism of Tibet or Lamaism (Wadell,
1894)

•Was one of the first English‐language books on this topic

•Found Tibetan Buddhism both fascina8ng and strange
•Carefully observed and recorded doctrines, prac8ces, rituals,
and mantras

Early Empirical Research

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First Empirical Research Project

on Meditation
•Kovoor Behanan 1937
•Yale psychology graduate student from India

•Measured the physiological effects of yoga breathing

(pranayama) on oxygen consump8on
•Found significant changes

•Returned to India where he studied other yogis, guided by

Swami Kuvalayananda who ran an ins8tute.
•Started a yoga journal
•Did further research on postures and other prac8ces

Researchers Travel to India

•In 1935 Terese Brosse showed yogis could stop their heart
for several seconds (Brosse, 1946)
•Research group brought EEG machines and measured yogis
in different locations
•Found yogis could control physiological processes
•Breathing rate, body temperature, and sweating of the palms

•Made conservative claims that meditation was an active

process that brought measurable changes
•Optimistic about studying meditation scientifically (Wenger
& Bagchi,& Anand, 1961)

Menninger Foundation Studies of Swami Rama

•Swami Rama underwent extensive tes8ng of

involuntary processes

•Most drama8c illustra8on: Able to control his heartbeat

•Sped up heartbeat to 300 beats/sec
•Caused atrial flumer recorded on EKG
•Had no pain or ill effects (Green, Green, & Walters,
1970)

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Research on Zen Monks in 1960’s &70’s

•Extensive, carefully run study of more than 150 monks and disciples
plus controls (Hirai, 1974)
•Used EEG, EMG, and GSR
•Carefully studied specific brain wave pattern changes
•Increased alpha and theta waves
•Theta waves correlate with relaxed attention that monitors inner
experience
•Alpha waves involve relaxed, alert attention correlated with feelings
of well-being
•Larger changes seen in more experienced prac88oners
•Another experiment: Presented a clicking sound
•Meditators responded without habituation
•Correlates with mindful moment-by-moment experiencing

Opening the Way To Study Medita<on Itself

 Arthur Deikman, (1963)

• Willing to scien8fically study non‐material,

mys8cal states

• Applied concepts

• Found that medita8on involved deautoma8zing: A

disengagement from usual selec8ve modes and
sets, resul8ng in increased flexibility of perceptual
& emo8onal responses to the environment

Ques<onnaire Studies

 Iden8fied 6 factors common to all forms of

medita8on
• Self‐transcendence, mood, change of consciousness,
meaning dimension, exclusion of images, & general feeling
of success
• Osis,et.al., (1973)

 Ques8onnaires before and aoer medita8on

 Mood before medita8on had no effect: Concluded
medita8on might be an altered state
• Kohr, (1977)

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Measurement Studies

• Early Technology

• Van Nuys created a device with a

lever to press when a thought
intruded

• Found meditators had less intruding

thoughts and their thoughts were
more in the present moment

• (Van Nuys, 1973)

Research on Social Effects of Medita<on

The Maharishi Effect

• It’s a common medita8onal belief that individual consciousness
affects group consciousness, so perhaps if many people meditated,
the community would have more calm and less anger.

• Maharishi hypothesized that when 1% of the popula8on prac8ced

medita8on, crime rates would drop

• It was tested in a large study that showed decreased violence in

Washington DC June 7‐30, 1993 (Hagelin et. al, 1999)
• TM‐4000 par8cipants
• Sta8s8cs from local police showed 15% lower crime rate
• Effects remained for 21 days following study

• 50 similar studies were performed over 25 years

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Efficacy Research on
Medita<on for Treatments

.
• Substance Abuse
• Decreased drug abuse using TM. (1862 subjects)
• (Benson, H. & Wallace, R. K. 1972)
• Prevented relapse using mindfulness
• (Witkiewitz, Marlam & Walker, 2005)
• Stress Reduc8on
• Using mindfulness training (Kabat‐Zinn, 1995)
• Depression
• Teasdale, et al., 2000; Ma & Teasdale, 2004)
• Affect Regula8on
• (Aoanas & Golosheykin, 2003)
• PTSD
• (Brown & Gerberg, 2003)
• OCD
• (Shannahoff‐Khalsa, 2003)

Research on Medita<on
for Serious Disorders

 Medita8on may benefit individuals with serious mental illness when used in
conjunc8on with regular treatment
• (Russinova, Wewiorski, & Cash, 2002).
• A study of 157 subjects with 45% bipolar disorder, 25% schizophrenia spectrum disorder, and
25% depressive disorder
 They found alterna8ve therapies including medita8on facilitated recovery process

 Cau8ons: There have been reports of a few cases where at‐risk persons
developed psycho8c episodes from immersion in intensive medita8on
• (Walsh & Roche, 1978)
• Combina8on of very intensive medita8on including fas8ng and sleep depriva8on for subjects
with a history of schizophrenia who discon8nue their maintenance dose of medica8on can be
hazardous (Walsh & Roche, 1978

 There are ongoing studies with psychiatric popula8ons

• (Shannahoff‐Khalsa, 2006, 2010)

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Different Forms of Medita<on

Researched for Therapy

Yoga: Medita<on, Breathing, Postures, Mantras

• Stress
• The ability to focus amen8on developed in yoga medita8on helps
for bemer tolera8on of stress (Hempel & Om, 2006)

• Anxiety
• Medita8on combined with yoga postures reduced state anxiety
bemer than simple relaxa8on (Subramanya & Telles, 2009).
• Mantras and one‐pointed awareness for 62 veterans with PTSD
(Williams et. al, 2005).
• Depression
• Meta‐study of 5 depression projects trea8ng mild to severe
depression. (Pilkington, Kirkwood, Rampes, & Richardson, 2005).

Mindfulness

• Mindfulness has been integrated into therapy

• (Baer, 2003; 2006)

• Mindfulness based stress reduc8on programs of

• Kabat‐Zinn (2003)

• Mindful amen8on with high school students

enhanced learning
• (Langer, 1989)

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Zen Medita<on

Improved empathy for counselors

(Lesh, 1970)

Helped psychotherapists improve

their effec8veness
(Grepmair et. al. 2007)

Tour through the Brain:

What Clinicians Need to Know

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Begin Small: Neurons

• 180 billion neurons each connected to 100’s of

others.
• Two main func8ons: Process chemicals and
within them and communicate with other
neurons at the synapses between
• Neurotransmimers are chemicals that swim
across synapse and convert into electrical
impulse

NeurotransmiCers
• Neurotransmimers are usually in balance, but when
imbalances occur, drug therapy and psychotherapy,
medita8on, and hypnosis can help restore natural
balance
• Different kinds of neurotransmimers with different
effects on the nervous system
• Glutamate: Excitatory, and GABA, inhibitory are found everywhere
• Dopamine: pleasure & reward
• Seratonin: emo8onality and sleep
• Norepenephrine: alertness
• Endorphins: alleviate pain

Central Nervous System

• All the neurons combined make up the nervous
system:
• Brain and Spinal Cord
• Peripheral Nervous System
• Cranial Nerves and Spinal Nerves
• Autonomic Nervous system
• Sympathe8c Nervous System SNS
• Prepares the body for ac8on
• Parasympathe8c Nervous System PNS
• Works opposite to the SNS

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Sympathe<c & Parasympathe<c

Nervous System

• These systems of ac8va8on and deac8va8on are

involved in emo8ons such as fear and anger, as well
as par8cipa8ng in responses to stress and feelings
of enjoyment.
• Together, these two systems maintain the control
that keeps the mind, brain, and body in balance.
• Yoga breathing, postures, and medita8ons can shio
the balance in the autonomic nervous system.

Brain Structures and Func<ons

• The brain orchestrates the nervous system. It is

ooen described in terms of its structures and
func8ons.
• Bomom‐up processing
• Unconscious processing tends to travel a short, subcor8cal path through the
lower brain areas

• Top Down Processing

• Awareness of emo8ons, sensa8ons, and cogni8ons usually travels a long path
involving higher parts of the cortex

Brain Structures: Lower Brain

• Brainstem
• Transi8on between the spinal cord and the brain
• Regulates vital body func8ons such as breathing, heart rate and
other automa8c func8ons
• Cerebellum (Limle Brain)
• Serves a variety of func8ons including the regula8on of higher
cerebral processes in motor planning, cogni8on, involuntary
func8ons, and problem solving.
• Regulates posture and the command of movement.
• Ac8ve when we are learning new movements

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Interior Brain Areas: Basal Ganglia

• 4 interconnected structures
• Voluntary movement and coordina8on
• Involved in planning movement, performing movements
in sequence, and maintaining learning.
• Part of predic8ve control, amen8on, and working
memory.

Interior Brain Areas: Limbic System

• Regulates emo8ons
• Involves many structures
• Amygdala for emo8ons
• Hippocampus for learning and memory
• Thalamus as a gateway for sensory informa8on
• Hypothalamus for regula8ng many autonomic func8ons including biological
rhythms and stress
• Olfactory bulb, involved in the sense of smell,
• Pituitary gland regula8ng hormones
• Nucleus accumbens, important for reward, laughter, pleasure, and addic8on
• Cingulate gyrus in cortex for monitoring conflicts
• Orbitofrontal cortex (part of the pre‐frontal cortex).

• With so many varied brain structures interac8ng

together, we see why emo8ons play such an important
role in every aspect of living.

Cerebral Cortex: Higher‐Level Processing

• Outer layer of the two hemispheres with many

convolu8ons, gyri, and folds, sulci.
• So much folding that nearly 2/3 of the surface is hidden from view

• Each hemisphere divided into 4 lobes

• Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, and Occipital
• Corpus Callosum connects the two hemispheres together

• Leo hemisphere more language processing

• Right hemisphere more spa8al processing

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Frontal Lobe
• 1/3 of cortex with extensive links to whole brain
• Prefrontal Cortes
• Important in execu8ve func8ons:
• Independent thinking, personality characteris8cs, socially appropriate
behavior, and emo8onal control.
• Primary Motor cortex
• Control of movement.
• Has a map of the body on it.

• The non‐primary motor cortex

• Mirror neurons (covered in later slides)
• Cingulate gyrus
• Mo8vated behavior, spontaneity, and crea8vity.
• Complex behavior and amen8on or conflict monitoring,
• Emo8onal reac8on to pain.
• Regula8on of aggressive behavior and maternal amachment.

Parietal Lobe

• Sensa8on and percep8on of touch, pressure,

temperature, and pain.
• The parietal lobe is ac8vated when loca8ng
objects in space and mapping the rela8onship
of the body to the world.
• The back (anterior) por8on of the parietal lobe
is the sensory strip. The body is mapped on
the sensory strip for sensa8ons, similar to how
the primary motor cortex is where movement
is mapped for the body.

Temporal Lobe

• Contains the primary auditory cortex.

• Wernicke’s area, on the leo hemisphere side, plays a

larger role in understanding spoken language.

• Some visual processing is performed in the temporal

lobes, involving percep8on of movements and face
recogni8on.

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Occipital Lobe

• Vision centers are located in the occipital lobes.

• Human beings rely on their vision quite heavily, and
this is revealed in the complexity of this region of
the brain.
• There are more than thirty‐two zones for visual processing differen8a8ng
different aspects of seeing such as color, texture, and movement.
• Axons coming from visual input from the eyes pass through the thalamus and
are directed to the primary visual cortex.
• Visual cortex is also some8mes called the striate cortex because of its striped
appearance

Pathways:
How Brain Areas Work Together

 A number of pathways through the nervous

system help to coordinate the mind‐brain‐body
balance.
 Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are in8mately
involved in the flow of these pathways, dynamic
systems of interac8ons between brain structures
and the flow of energy and neurotransmimers.
 We have separate pathways for processing pain,
reward, and fear/stress

Pain Pathway

• Sensory input and has a special pathway to process

painful s8muli.

• Pain informa8on is carried rapidly along insulated

(myelinated) fibers and slowly along uninsulated
(unmyelinated) C‐fibers.

• Then the pain informa8on is distributed to the different

thalamic areas and up to the cortex.

• The cingulate cortex is ac8vated by pain informa8on,

especially when you believe the s8mulus will be painful.

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Reward Pathway

• A reward pathway regulates posi8ve emo8ons and

drives toward fulfillment, sa8sfac8on, and
enjoyment.
• Ac8ve in reinforcement learning
• Helps to bemer understand addic8on

• Two different routes

• The Mesolimbic pathway
• The Nigrostria8c pathway

• Yoga and mindfulness bring feelings of well‐being,

releasing dopamine and reinforcing healthy living

Fear/Stress Pathway: HPA Pathway (Hypothalamus‐

Pituitary‐Adrenal)

• The fear pathway, also known as the HPA pathway,

provides the capacity to respond to threat and then
return to homeosta8c balance.
• This is a healthy, protec8ve aspect of func8oning
• The brain‐to‐endocrine system involves a reac8on pathway that links the
hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands together

• When over‐ac8vated, the fear pathway becomes a

stress pathway.
• People find a new allosta8c balance at a higher ac8va8on level
• Treatments like yoga and mindfulness lower
ac8va8on of stress pathway

Neuroplas<city :
How Clinical Work Can Change the Brain

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Neuroplas<city: What and When

 Neuroplas8city is the ability of the brain and

nervous system to reorganize its neural pathways,
connec8ons, and func8ons.
 It takes place in 8me, slowly or quickly, over three
main 8me spans:
 Evolu8on over eons
 Development over a lifespan
 Experience‐based neuroplas8city that takes place quickly,
at any age

Neuroplas<city Occurs at the

Neuronal Level
• The transmission across the synapse either ac8vates the
neuron to fire or deac8vates it from firing.
• Hebb’s Rule (Hebb, 1949) When neurons fire together
repeatedly, these neurons tend to become wired together.
• This firing and wiring together strengthens, known as LTP
(long term poten8a8on)
• When neurons stop firing together bonds weaken and may
even let go
• Explains, at a neuronal level, how learning and memory occur.
• It also helps to account for neuroplas8city
• Repeated experience can strengthen or weaken neuronal
bonds

Experience‐Based Neuroplas<city

• Early amachment between mother and child can lay

a founda8on for the ability to form healthy
interpersonal rela8onships
• Strong interpersonal amachments bring about mutual firing of certain neuronal
pamerns. (Tronic, 2007)
• Enriched environments
• Studies showed thickening of cor8ces of rats living in enriched environments
(Briones, Klintsova, Greenough, 2004).
• Rats cured of mental retarda8on when placed in enriched environments
(Res8vo, et al., 2005).
• Brain remapping from experiences
• Phantom limb pa8ent’s brains remapped cor8cal area from limb onto face
(Ramachandran, Ramachandran, & Stewart, 1992)
• Sensory systems remap in blind and deaf (Bavelier, et al., 2000).
• Novelty and crea8vity
• S8mulate neuroplas8city through neurogenesis at the level of gene expression.
(Rossi & Lloyd, 2009)

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Conclusions: How Therapeu<c

Interven<ons Change the Brain

 The experiences we provide in our clinical

work can foster neuroplas8city
 New pamerns form
 For example, CBT can calm an overac8ve limbic
system
 Mindfulness and yoga can calm the CNS and
stabilize the amen8on
 Different ac8va8ons of pathways
 Deac8va8ng the stress pathway for a new balance
 Fostering rewarding experiences

Neuroscience Findings
About Medita<on

There Are Different Forms of Medita<on

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Several Dis<nct Forms of Medita<on Revealed

from EEG Research

• Medita8on Is Not One Thing

• Researchers are dis8nguishing between the different
forms based on EEG and fMRI studies

Focused Medita<on

• Amen8on focuses on something and

stays there
• Such as focus on breathing, postures,
directed concentra8on
• Ac8vates gamma and beta waves
• Gamma waves found when paying amen8on
to something
• Beta waves correlate with being awake
(Zhang, Chen, Bressler, Ding, 2008)

Non‐Directed Open Medita<on

• Amen8on is open‐ended, shioing moment‐by‐

moment
• Mindfulness, zazen, compassion medita8on
• Object of focus is open and changing
• Increased alpha and theta waves
• Alpha associated with relaxed, alert amen8on
• Theta correlated with monitoring inner
experiencing, crea8vity, and feelings of well‐being
(Lutz et al., 2009)

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Automa<c Self‐Transcending

• Absence of control, focus, or effort

• Meditator transcends own experience, responding
automa8cally
• Transcendental Medita8on and Daoist
Medita8ons
• Higher alpha in the frontal areas
• Alphas associated with relaxed, alert amen8on
• (Travis et al., 2010)

Common Features of Medita<on

Dual Effect
• Long known that medita8on produces calm
• Meta‐analysis of 31 studies showed medita8on was superior to
simple relaxa8on techniques (Dilbeck & Orme‐Johnson, 1987).

• Gradually researchers realized that dual effect of relaxa8on

with alertness occurring simultaneously
• EEG and fMRI revealed a dual effect occurring simultaneously.
• Not only were meditators deeply relaxed, but they were also alert
with heightened amen8on (Lutz et al., 2004; Lazar et al. 2005).
• Normally when we are highly amen8ve we are alert and
somewhat tense, but in medita8on, people are alert while also
relaxed at the same 8me.

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Brain Coherence

 High brain coherence during medita8on

(Hankey, 2006)

• Long‐range gamma waves are firing in

harmony.

• Associated with improved quality of

amen8on, sensory acuity and bemer
func8oning in general.

Brain Areas Involved

• Ac8va8ons:
PFC and cingulate gyrus for alertness
Right Hippocampus and amygdala for bemer affect regula8on

• Deac8va8on
Thalamus, Re8cular Forma8on for relaxa8on
Parietal Lobe for less sensory s8muli to cortex
 May explain the feeling of oneness and merging with the universe
through enhanced inner experiencing

Structural Changes in Key ACen<on Areas: Slows

Cor<cal Thinning of Aging
 Subjects & Procedures
• 20 long‐8me meditators in normal lifestyles
• They had meditated for 9 years, 6 hours/week
• Compared to 15 non‐medita8ng controls
3
 Results
• 2 increased thickness of specific areas in cerebral cortex that typically
Structural
thin1with aging
• The pre‐frontal cortex and right & anterior insula 2
 Prefrontal cortex involved in amen8on, planning, execu8ve func8oning
 Anterior insula is linked to limbic system, homeosta8c balance of sympathe8c and
parasympathe8c nervous system and interocep8on (awareness of internal body
states)
• 4
Thickening was most pronounced in older subjects
• Older meditators’ cor8cal thickness was comparable to 20 year olds
• (Lazar, et al., 2005)

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Structural Thickening in Meditators

• Study found that Zen medita8on thickened the gray
mamer in the anterior cingulate gyrus (Grant et al.,
2010), anterior insula and bilateral para‐hippocampus
– Key areas for conflict monitoring, pain regula8on,
interocep8on, & memory

• Compared two groups: Regular meditators and non‐

meditators who had never experienced chronic pain
or never prac8ced medita8on

• Measured thermal pain against calf

• Central brain regions regula8ng pain were thicker in

meditators than non‐meditators

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General model for forms of

meditation:

Form follows function

Functions
Filling the Mind; Emptying the Mind

General model continued

Three Forms:
Focus Meditations (Today)
Open Monitoring Meditations (Saturday)
Self-Transcending-Unconscious Meditations (Sunday)

Part III: Developing Your Medita<on

Tools
Sensory Tools
Cogni8ve Tools
Body Tools

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Sensory Tools

• Listening with the skin

– Touch your arm
– Touch the table
– Touch your clothing
– Sense the differences

• Listening as you speak

– Listening with ears open
– Listening with ears covered

Mental Tools
Amen8on and Concentra8on

• Amen8on to an outer object

• Amen8on to an inner object

Mental Tools: !
Visualiza8on & Imagina8on

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Visualiza8on & Imagina8on

Body Tools

 Amen8on to posture
• From standing to sisng

 Awareness of object

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 Finding your center in sisng

 Aligning with gravity standing

Mind‐Body Link

 Ideomotor

 Visualize relaxa8on

Focus Medita<ons

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Focus on Breathing Medita8ons!

• Coun8ng the breaths

• Listening to the breaths
• Moving with the breath
• The Complete Breath
• Experiencing the breath

Working with Focused Amen8on Medita8vely

• Prac8ce perceiving
details

• Selec8vely amending
to one thing and not
another

• Narrowing and
widening focus of
amen8on

Postures

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Enhancing Vitality, Flexibility, and Strength: Chair

Sisng

Before You Begin Moving

• Ensure that the client is secure in the chair
• Sit upright, slightly forward
• Hold on to chair seat if needed
• Let feet touch the floor

• Take a moment for awareness of sisng

• Breathe comfortably for several minutes

Modified Chair Sisng Arm Reach

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Chair Sisng Arm Swing

Chair Sisng Triangle

Chair Sisng Sun Saluta8on

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Using Postures and Breathing for Experien8al

Change

Warrior for Inner Strength

Savasana for Relaxa8on

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Child Pose for a Sense of Security

Triangle to Foster Flexibility

Balancing with Nostril Breathing

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Pratyahara

• Withdrawing of amen8on
• Doing and Not‐doing
• Withdrawing the senses & energy
deliberately
• Allowing thoughts to slow naturally

Dharana

• Narrowing Amen8on
• Example of dog on a rope
• Focus on a mantra: OM
• Sound
• Imagine Sound
• Picture
• Concept: Cosmic Vibra8on
of the universe

Dhyana

• OpeningFocused Amen8on
• Thought, object, and thinker are one
• Concentrate on the idea of medita8on
• Think about all you are learning today
• Let your thoughts associate about
medita8on more generally
• Allow yourself to become medita8ve: Just
being here in medita8on

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Making a Paradigm Shi.

Saturday, April 28

Yoga

•Yoga includes more than postures

•Meaning of the word yoga: To yoke

• Ancient Hindu texts:

 The Vedas 5000‐2000 BC
 Upanishads (800‐600 BC)
 Bhagavad Gita (fiKh to second century BC)

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Patanjali Outline of Yoga

(2nd Century AD)!

• Yoga Sutras & Metaphor of a Tree with Eight Limbs

• Yamas
• Niyamas
• Asanas
• Pranayama
• Pratyahara
• Dharana
• Dhyana
• Samadhi

Pa?erns of CogniAon in Yoga

• Withdraw from everyday consciousness

• Focus a\en]on and keep it steady
• Concentra]on
• Selec]vely a\end to one thing and not another
• Contempla]on
• Sequenced, inten]onal reflec]on on the object of
a\en]on
• Join consciousness with the larger, greater universal
consciousness

Using Yamas and Niyamas for

for Cognitive Reframing
 YAMAS: Avoiding things we should avoid
 Don’t lie to others or to yourself
 For example: When clients blame others for their problems,
they are lying to themselves
 Non harming to build mo]va]on for change
 Substance abuse, hos]lity, etc hurt you

 NIYAMAS: Doing things we should do

 Purity means fostering healthy habits
 Seek higher values
 Recognize that happiness is possible
 Create condi]ons for spiritual fulfillment
 Using medita]on, yoga breathing and postures

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Yama & Niyama MeditaAons

• Ahimsa
Non Violence of thoughts, ac]ons, and deeds to self and
others
• Focus on: Happiness is Possible!
We weave the cloth of our everyday
By what we do and give
The fabric of our everyway
Is made by how we live

Buddhism

• Origins in Hinduism
• Began with Siddhartha Gautama (563‐483 B.C.)
• He became the Buddha, the Awakened One
• Theravada
• Early approach reflec]ng Buddha’s prac]ces and lifestyle
• Renounce this life for Nirvana
• Arhat ideal for a monk’s life
• Mindfulness
• Mahayana
• Reinterpreted Buddhism more broadly to include laymen in their cultural context
• Enlightenment in this life
• Bodhisa\va ideal of altruism
• Emp]ness
• Vajrayana‐The Third Vehicle‐Tibetan Buddhism
• Combines Yoga and Buddhism
• Uses Symbolic prac]ces such as mantras & mandalas

The Four Noble Truths

 1) Life is Filled with Suffering

 Not pessimis]c
 2) Recognize the Root of Suffering
 Self‐centered desires
 Impermanence
 3) How to put an end to suffering
 Lekng go of craving for pleasure and ha]ng pain
 Cul]vate non‐judgmental awareness
 Appreciate things as they are
 4) Follow the Eighlold Path
 Right Views, Right Intent, Right Speech, Right Ac]on Right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Medita]on

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Pa?erns of CogniAon in Buddhism

• Detachment
• Skep]cal step away from logic
• Non‐judgmental awareness
• Co‐dependent origina]on
• Emp]ness
• Compassion and Loving Kindness

Love, Compassion & GraAtude MeditaAon

• Focus on gra]tude/love
• Stabilizes autonomic nervous system
• Opens heart & mind
• Client can do this first thing in the morning and right before sleep
• Think of something you are grateful for now
• Meditate on compassionate feelings for others

Daoism

 Ancient Chinese Philosophy

 Religious Daoism developed as well
 Based in one fundamental principle:
The Way of the Dao
 Legendary founder
• Laotse b. 604 BC
• Wrote the famous Dao De Jing

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Daoist Themes
 Dao
• Undifferen]ated, unknowable source for all things
 The uncarved block: before it is anything can be all things
 Yin and Yang
• How objects manifest in the world
 Up is in rela]onship to down; dark to light
 Qi
• All is moving, flowing, changing energy
 Non‐Ac]on: Wu‐wei
• Take no ac]on and nothing is leK undone
• Go with the flow and let be

Daoist ApplicaAons

• Healing
• Acupuncture & Acupressure
• Herbal Medicine
• Yellow Emperor Classic
• Pain]ng
• Feng‐shui
• Qigong
• Mar]al Arts

• True nature of cogni]on is its raw, uncreated flow, before

constructs

• All cogni]on differen]ates into opposites

• Everything is always changing in cycles

• A\une consciousness to this nature of the universe to live well

and accomplish

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Allowing Unconscious Flow

• A\uning to the unconscious flow

– Lowers the ac]va]on of the autonomic nervous
system
– Returns to a calmer allosta]c balance
• Lekng be
• Return to the uncarved block within

Zen Buddhism

 Zen came from a blending of Buddhism &

Daoism
 Bodhidharma (440‐528)
 Legendary Founder of Zen
 Also founded mar]al arts
 Return to pure form of Buddhism without rituals and
elaborate prac]ces
 Taught medita]on

 Zen traveled to Korea and Japan and then to

the West

Zen Themes

• Self‐awakening beyond concepts

Non linguis]c, non ra]onal, non‐analy]cal thought
• Finger poin]ng to the moon is not the moon
• Emp]ness: Not even nothing exists
Form is emp]ness and emp]ness is form
• Similar to scien]fic recogni]on that the world is not solid and real sub‐
atomically, yet it is real and substan]al
• No‐self nature
• Enlightenment is wisdom’s fulfillment
Famous Zen saying: Before Zen, Mountains were mountains…

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Pa?erns of CogniAon in Zen

• Clearing the mind is not clearing away thoughts

• Set aside thought or expecta]on

• Each moment is new

• Direct percep]on is possible

Zen Methods

• Medita]on
• Zen Arts
• Koans

Mindful Immersion in Each Moment

• Follow the flow of sensa]ons

• Quiets the prefrontal cortex
• Calms the nervous system
• Don’t label, just no]ce
• Each moment is new
• Let go to stay with each new sensa]on

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The Anxious Man Who Learned to Face

Things as They Came

The Bipolar Man

Who A?uned to His Cycles
and Found Balance

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The Heroin Addict

Who Detached
from Crime and Drugs

The Woman Who Used MeditaAon’s Dual Effect

to Cope Well with Stress
and Make Peace with Her Family

Learning MeditaAon
for Therapists

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Physiological Dimension

• Many medita]ons have physiological

effects

• Experience it personally to feel

physiological dimensions

• Skills improve with prac]ce

CogniAve Dimension

• Eastern tradi]ons with medita]on as the

source can open new cogni]ve dimensions

• Something to be gained from incorpora]ng

schemas from many tradi]ons

• Experience medita]on for yourself!

Benefits to PracAAoners

• Stress reduc]on for health care professionals

• (Oman et. al, 2006; Shapiro et. al. 2005)

• Enhances therapeu]c effec]veness

• (Grepmair et al., 2007)

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Teaching MeditaAon
to Clients

How To Introduce MeditaAon

• Mastery: Begin with the easy

• Use the logic of errorless learning

• Begin with 10 seconds

• Start with something concrete

Special ConsideraAons

• Keep eyes open for pa]ents with tendencies to

delusions

• Agitated: Don’t use energy moving

• Depressed, use external objects of focus

• Anxious: Some get more agitated with quie]ng so

introduce ac]ve medita]ons

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Easy 4‐Step Method

• Observe
• Suspend Judgment
• Meditate
• Allow

WORKING WITH SPECIAL

POPULATIONS
The Very Old and the Very Young

Working with Aging

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Working with DemenAas

• Preliminary research has found that even those
with demen]a and Alzheimer's can regain some
func]oning
– Robert Bender, MD Medical Director of the Johnny Orr
Memory Center and Healthy Aging Ins]tute. Des
Moines, Iowa
• Combined medica]on, medita]on, exercise, low
fat diet, cogni]ve training, and socializa]on
• The theory is that neurons can form new
branches

Early Alzheimer's Research

• Subjects ages 52‐77 with memory problems

• Guided medita]on with a CD

• Significant increases in cerebral blood flow in prefrontal

and parietal lobes

• Improved in tests of cogni]on, memory, & a\en]on

(Newberg, Wintering, Khalsa, Roggencamp, & Waldman Medita]on

effects on cogni]ve func]on and cerebral blood flow in subjects with
memory loss: a preliminary study. (2010). J. Altzheimer’s Disease,
20, 2, 517‐26)

The Nun Study

• 678 nuns were studied for 15 years
– Ate low fat diet
– Had strong social ]es
– Challenged themselves mentally
– Regular medita]on part of the total treatment regime
– Had faith
• Lived very long, ac]ve, healthy lives
• Autopsies showed dis]nct signs of Alzheimer’s in
brain but no symptoms of it in how they lived
• (Snowdon, D. A., Greiner, L. H., Kemper, S. J., Nanayakkara, N., & Mor]mer, J. A. (1999).
Linguis]c ability in early life and longevity: Findings from the Nun Study. In J. M. Robine,
B. Fore\e, C. Franceschi, & M. Allard (Eds)., The paradoxes of longevity. Berlin: Springer.)

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Exercising Memory MeditaAvely

What’s The Same and Different

• Use all the medita]ons & postures we have

been working with
• OKen the elderly have special needs
• Adapt your methods to suit them

Working with Pain

 Research
 Using Zen medita]on reduced pain (Green & Rainville,
2009)
 Meditators have less nega]ve appraisal of pain
(Brown & Jones, 2010)
 Acceptance of pain for only what it is and no more
• Not a punishment
• Doesn’t need to hurt

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Working with Pain ConAnued

• Medita]on controls both sensa]ons and suffering

because
• It produces an inhibi]on of signals that arrive at the somatosensory cortex
for pain intensity
• Recall medita]on lessens ac]va]on to parietal lobe where somatosensory
cortex is located
• It also modulates pain processing in the limbic system for pain
unpleasantness and suffering.

• Non‐judgmental aktude
• Detachment

Working with Pain Exercises

 Mindful awareness of pain as sensa]ons

 Distrac]on from pain with a peaceful image

 Be one with the pain; suffer with it, not from

it.

 Breathe into the painful area

Working with Children

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Playful Postures

Be a tree

Stretch like a cat

Methods Children Enjoy

• Hand Warming
• Medita]on Contest
• Medita]on with Distrac]ons

Open Monitoring MeditaAons

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Classic Mindfulness MeditaAons

 All with a non‐judgmental aktude:

 Mindful of body
 Mindful of emo]ons
 Mindful of thoughts
 Mindful in the moment

Mindful in AcAon

 Mindful Sikng
 Mindful Standing
 Mindful Moving

Walking MeditaAons

 Slow Walking
 Fast Walking
 Walking the Circle

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Mindful Breathing

 Following the Breath

 Each Breath is New

Mindful Sensing

 Following sensory experiencing

 Tapping

Bringing It All Together:

Enlightenment

 Integra]ng Mind‐Body‐Spirit
 Unity and Oneness
 Gra]tude Medita]on
 Compassion Medita]on

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Clinical ApplicaAons: TherapeuAc

MeditaAons

•Stress pathway changes

•When people are stressed or anxious the balance of the stress
pathway is altered
• Their allostatic balance is at a higher activation level

•Meditation brings relaxation and calm

•Shifts the balance back to lower activation for a healthier balance

•Meditation’s dual effect

• Deactivates an over-activated limbic system while enhancing the
connections from frontal areas for better regulation

Stress
• 2/3 of clients who come in for therapy complain
about feeling stressed.
• Stress disrupts the usual balance of the organism
– “Stress is an internal or external cue that disrupts the
homeosta]c status.”
• (Larry Squire, neuroscience researcher)
• HPA pathway is ac]vated
• Medita]on has been shown to rebalance the
autonomic nervous system

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Rebalancing

• Body Quie]ng
– Finding balance standing
– Breathing out tensions
• Mental Balance
– Guided visualiza]on: Pond
– Personal visualiza]on

A`tude Change
• Non‐Judgmental Awareness
– Describe the stress
– No]ce aktudes toward it
• It’s awful
• I can’t stand it
• It’s not fair
– Medita]on
• Become aware of the situa]on moment‐by‐moment,
non‐judgmentally

Just Do It

• Zen masters say, “When hungry I eat, when ]red I

sleep.”
• Just Do It Medita]on Mindfully
– Do this at home with a task for work, usually find
stressful
– Cell phone, handout
• Wuwei Medita]on: Act without ac]ng for
flowing, natural ac]on
– Allowing experiencing just as it is without altering it in
any way

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MeeAng Stress as a Bodhisa?va

• Medita]on on mee]ng your stress well
– Don’t add to it
– Listen mindfully
– Can you discover new possibili]es?
– Can you help others?
– Can you be compassionate with yourself as well?

Anxiety
• Zen Master and the wolves

Regular Calming
• Recall early research that showed meditators
developed peaceful moment no ma\er what
mood they were in before (Kohr, 1977)
• You can encourage calm even when clients are
uncomfortable
• Calm in the present moment medita]on
– No ma\er what happened before or comes aKer, can
be calm in this moment
– Be mindful now
• Prac]ce calming oKen

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Untying the Knots of Anxiety

• Buddha’s handkerchief and the knots

• Mindful awareness of what you tell yourself
• Meditate on just what is
• Loosen the knots with relaxa]on
• Closing the gap between now and later

Trauma

• Regular medita]on to rebalance an over‐

ac]vated nervous system

• Prac]ce a mantra or ritual: “Peace”

• Visualizing a Sanctuary Place

• Finding sanctuary in your own clear mind

Substance Abuse

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•Substance abuse alters the reward pathway

•Reward becomes wired to the substance
•Neurons “learn” LTP

•Medita]on can bring reward without the substance

•Medita]ons gives an enjoyable experience of well‐being
•Helps the reward system to rewire back to a healthy balance

MeditaAons for Substance Abuse

• Develop healthy detachment

• Pratyahara: Withdraw from cravings
• Go beyond pleasure and pain: It is what it is
• Prac]ce mindful awareness of feelings and
sensa]ons
• Mindful awareness of trigger situa]ons
• Calming and centering for be\er self‐
regula]on of behavior

Depression

• Working with depression integra]vely

– Neuro‐chemical component
– Cogni]ve contribu]on to depression
• Judgmental Rumina]on
• Learned Helplessness
– Social influence
• Toxic Rela]onships
• People hur]ng one another

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•Rumina]on over‐ac]vates the prefrontal cortex

•Mindfulness non‐judgmental awareness deac]vates

these frontal areas to shiK the balance

•Medita]on regulates affect by balancing cingulate gyrus

(red) and frontal (blue) areas with limbic system

Altering the Brain Balance MeditaAvely

• ShiK the over‐ac]vated frontal areas with

bo\om‐up breathing medita]ons

Changing CogniAon
• The Man in the Tower
• Begin with a small change and build on it
– Minute medita]on possibili]es
– Pick what your client needs
• Mindful awareness of what disturbs
mindfulness
– Observe it as if standing on the shore of a stream
• Accept each experience, just as it is

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Improving Social InteracAons

• Ac]on for its own sake

– We oKen do something for the sake of
something else
– Prac]ce secret virtue
• Social interac]ons, the topic for tomorrow

Inner Peace MeditaAon

• Helpful to cul]vate for all psychological
problems
• A peaceful moment, here and now

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East Meets West

Sunday, April 29

Western and Eastern Concep0ons

• What is the world?

• What is the mind and brain?

• Ancients of the West looked up into the

heavens and saw material substance
• There is a real world to explore
• Find the necessary causes
• Define the limits
• Use a scienDfic method to understand it
• InvesDgate to learn about the physical brain
that is there
• Then we will know the mind through the
brain

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• Ancients of the East looked up into the heavens and

saw vast empDness
• There is no lasDng material substance
• All returns to the unformed Dao
• Derive a meditaDve method to understand it
• Let go of obstrucDons
• Remain absolutely empty ourselves
• Eastern philosophical tradiDons are as rich and diverse
as Western ones

 How can a material brain relate to non‐material

thoughts and emoDons?

 Why can’t we locate a separate organ for each

emoDon like we have lungs to breathe?
 Is the brain a lasDng structures or is it processes in
change ?

 Is the brain funcDoning as parts or wholes?

 How can we, locked in our own brain and body,

reach out to others?

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• It is possible to entertain contradictory views

together with a different logic
• Don’t take for granted certain assumpDons
• Include new paradigms for models
• Incorporate change
• Use meditaDve methods along with scienDfic
methods for developing mental capaciDes to
enhance intuiDon and non‐raDonal faculDes

• The usefulness of a cup is in its empDness

• OOen all we have is what is not, the empty funcDon

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Learning from What is Not:

Brain‐Damaged Pa0ents

• In brain damaged paDents, we only know

what they cannot do
• Phineas Gage
• HM and the mirror tracing task (Schoville &
Milner, 1957)
• Conscious and unconscious movement in
smiling
• Walking VS marching

Parts and Wholes and Their

Integra0on

The fundamental interrelationships of neurology as the study of

the part‐functions of the nervous system, and of psychobiology
as the study of the total reactions of the individual integrated by
the cerebrum are only one example of the general call for study
of the functions of the parts and the functions of the whole.
‐‐‐Adolph Meyer (1842‐1908) (Meyer, 1950, p. 9).

• The Dao is an integrated unity and yet it is made of parts

represented as the Yin/Yang
• Study of the brain addresses parts and wholes
• LocalizaDon is expressed in memory systems,
hemisphericity
• Works as a whole, in the stress response, reward
pathway, and a^enDonal systems
• How can we reconcile the whole with its parts?

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• Imagine a net
• Stretches out infinitely in all direcDons
• Has a single gli^ering jewel at each of the net connecDons.
• Each jewel reflects in the one jewel and also reflects all the others
• infinite reflecDng process (Flower Garland Sutra).
• Unified network acDng together
• Changing moment‐by‐moment
• A self‐creaDng, self‐maintaining, and self defining unity without a
beginning or an end
• Comes together in each moment without any outside cause or force

• Neural networks show how we can go from an

individual on‐off unit combined in a network to produce
a funcDon

• No one structure is what makes the funcDon what it is;

rather it is the weighted interacDons all together,
changing moment by moment

• Self‐organizing systems

• ConnecDonist models of the brain describe funcDons

coming from complex interacDon in a network of
synapDc connecDons

• Aristotle (384‐322 BC): A thing is or is not

• Nagarjuna (200 AD): The Middle Way
• Complementarity in physics has shown how conflicDng
explanaDons can both be true (waves and parDcles)
• And so for the brain, if we hold together in mind
contradicDons– different approaches with different logic.
• Then, more possibiliDes open to us for resolving the
brain’s paradoxes

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Mirror Neurons:
Oneness with Others

• The brain contains a system of neurons that

responds directly to the intenDonal acDons of
others.
• Mirror Neuron Hypothesis: There is a link between
parDcular neurons in our own brain and other
people’s acDons.
• Mirror neurons are found in the frontal, parietal,
and temporal lobes of humans

 First discovered by accident during a study of premotor

cortex of Rhesus monkey.
 Monkey’s neurons fired when watching graduate student
eat ice cream just as when monkey moved food to its own
mouth.
 Led to discovery that neurons in ventral premotor cortex
acDvate when making a movement or observing
movements (Gallese, Fadiga, Fogassi, & Rizzolak, 1996).
 Later studies found mirror neurons for vision, sound,
touch as well as motor (Gallese, Keysers, & Rizzolak,
2004).
 EmoDonal centers also have mirror‐like qualiDes (Singer,
et al., 2004)

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 Mirror neurons make it possible to literally

feel what others feel.
 A bo^om‐up process
 So, mirror neurons are a window into the
meaning world of others.
 They are fundamental for social understanding
(Pineda et al., 2009).
 The mirror neuron system is the foundaDonal
building block for empathy

• In meditaDon, we focus a^enDon and keep it

steady

• In the process, we join our consciousness with

the greater universal consciousness

• Our mirror neurons are always ready to fire in

harmony with others

• We are One with the universe as we resonate in

harmony with others

Polyvagal Theory Background

• All emoDons and interpersonal interacDons are
biological processes
• ConDnual interacDon between physiological and
psychological processes
• Influence goes both ways
• Breathing is directly related to the limbic system
• 10th Cranial Nerve, the Vagus Nerve
• Originates in medulla and goes all the way down into
breathing passages and abdomen
• Conveys sensory informaDon to the brain from the body’s
internal organs
• Has both sensory and motor a^achments
• Unifies breathing, emoDons, and cogniDon

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Polyvagal Theory

• Explains how breathing relates to

cogniDon and emoDon

• Shows why breathing meditaDons can

have a profound effect on feelings and
thoughts

Social Brain and Oneness

• We are embodied cogniDon
• We resonate with others
• Mother and child’s brains in harmony together
• We are wired for relaDonship and love
• A^achment Theory of relaDonship
• Secure A^achment
• Problems when secure a^achment not formed
• Ambivalent A^achment from inconsistent parenDng
• Avoidant A^achment from abusive parenDng

• MeditaDon enhances our sense of interrelatedness

Enhancing Interpersonal
Awareness Medita0vely

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Personal Medita0ons on Rela0onships

• Sharing as a couple, family, friend
• Builds bonds
• Gives a shared posiDve experience
• Removes obstacles
• Harmonizes nervous systems together
• Compassion meditaDon
• Everyone is my parent meditaDon
• Extending Caring to self and others
• Oneness with others

Mindful Mirroring

Chi‐sao

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Developing Therapeu0c Presence

• Common Factors in All forms of

TherapeuDc EffecDveness
• Faith, hope, trust,
• TherapeuDc relaDonship,
• Experience of mastery
• TherapeuDc raDonale

• Fostering the ineffable quality

Expanding Poten0al

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Bypassing Limita0ons

• Helpful for your own personal growth and

depth of percepDon

• Helpful with clients to bypass resistances

• Important to recognize that much that we take

for granted as fixed realiDes are actually more
plasDc and malleable than we might think

Percep0on is Changeable

• ShiOing Frames of reference

• Joke about the experimental rat

• How do you go from this room to the dining

room?

• See the changing squares

Sensory Integra0on
• Synesthesia
• 5% of the populaDon has it
• Examples of synesthesias
• Our research on synesthesia
• We all have a li^le synesthesia effect

11
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Decipher this Mar0an Language

•BooBaa and Kiki

Body Image is Malleable

 Nose exercise

Broadening Thinking

12
 3/29/12

How many direc0ons are there?

710

13
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Can You Read This?

O sibili si ergo
Fortebuses in ero
Nobili demis trux
Si wa0s inem
Kowzen dux

Crea0ve Thinking
 How many ways can you combine these
triangles?

14
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Crea0ve Thinking Possibili0es

Self‐Transcending Medita0ons
Opening to Enlightenment

LeTng Go: Body

 Arm LiO
 Shoulder
LiO

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LeTng Go Movement

• Qi‐Gong: From Conscious to Unconscious

Movement
• Raising and Lowering Arms
• Circling
• In and Out Arms
• Free flow movement

Invi0ng Unconscious Responsiveness

• Experience in hands
• AutomaDc movement
• Visualize and allow arm liOing
• A helpful memory, thought, or image,
• Allow it to develop
• Work with spontaneous memory, thought, or
experience
• Hand can go up as remember, stay up as
experience it, lower when ready

LeTng Be Medita0ons: Wuwei

• Allowing SDllness MeditaDon

• Busy Pond to Twilight Quiet

• Recall your own sDll moment and allow

• Follow the flow of your experience now to

sDllness

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Koans: Beyond Ra0onal Thought

• Flag blowing in the

wind

• Which hand is leO

• Mu

Zazen

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Returning to Your MeditaDve Center

• Taking an Inward Glance

• Focus to Gather A^enDon
• A mindful moment for
centering
• Allow free‐flow
• Do it regularly

Integra0ng Medita0on
Into Your Prac0ce
• Let your professional ethics and personal beliefs
guide you
• Foster these through study, thought, and healthy rouDnes

• Develop your intuiDon with regular meditaDon

• Meditate Regularly
• Find your own inner peace
• Enlightenment is here and now in this moment

Medita0on Review
• MeditaDon Tools
• Focus MeditaDons
– Breathing
– Color
– Outer to Inner
• Mindfulness
– Body
– Mind
– EmoDons
– Moment to Moment

18
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Medita0on Review 2

• Mantra MeditaDon
• Open MeditaDon
– Wuwei lekng be
– Zazen following to empDness
– Lekng go to the moment

• GraDtude, Compassion, and Loving

Kindness

Final Medita0on

Thank You!
• Contact Us:
• EMAIL:
• [email protected]

• Webpage:
• simpkins.radiantdolphinpress.com

• Facebook:
• Annellen‐Alex Simpkins
• Annellen Simpkins, PhD & C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD
• Dao of Neuroscience Page
• MeditaDon for Therapists and Their Clients Page
• MeditaDon and Yoga in Psychotherapy Page

19
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Selected SIMPKINS & SIMPKINS Books

20
 Bibliography
for
Therapeutic Meditation for Mind-Brain-Body Transformation Handout
C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD and Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD
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Aftanas, L. & Golosheykin, S. 2005. Impact of regular meditation practice on EEG
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(2000). Visual attention to the periphey is enhanced in congenitally deaf
individuals. Journal of Neuroscience, 20, 17, 1-6.

Behanan, K. 1937. Yoga as scientific study. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University
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Benson, H. 1975. The Relaxation Response. New York: William Morrow & Co.
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living. Boston: Tuttle Publishing.
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living. Boston: Tuttle Publishing.
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Boston: Tuttle Publishing.
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moment. Boston: Tuttle Publishing.
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 Published and Forthcoming Books
By
C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD and Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD

Philosophy and Meditation

• (2012 forthcoming). The Tao of Bipolar Disorder. New Harbinger.
• (2012). Zen Meditation in Psychotherapy: Techniques for Clinical Practice. John
Wiley & Sons.
• (2011). Meditation and Yoga in Psychotherapy: Techniques for Clinical Practice. John
Wiley & Sons.
• (2009). Meditation for Therapists and Clients, Norton Professional Books
• (2007). & (2004). Meditation from Thought to Action with Audio CD. Radiant
Dolphin Press. (1998) Tuttle Publishing.
• (2004). Principles of Meditation with Audio CD. Radiant Dolphin Press. (1996).
Tuttle Publishing.
• (2004). Living Meditation with Audio CD. Radiant Dolphin Press. (1997), Tuttle
Publishing.
• (2003). Yoga Basics. Tuttle Publishing.
• (2003). Zen in Ten: Easy Lessons for Spiritual Growth. Tuttle Publishing.
• (2003). Buddhism in Ten: Easy Lessons for Spiritual Growth. Tuttle Publishing.
• (2002). Tao in Ten: Easy Lessons for Spiritual Growth. Tuttle Publishing.
• (2001). Simple Tibetan Buddhism: A Guide to Tantric Living. Tuttle Publishing.
• (2000). Simple Buddhism: A Guide to Enlightened Living. Tuttle Publishing.
• (2000). Simple Confucianism: A Guide to Living Virtuously. Tuttle Publishing.
• (1999). Simple Taoism: A Guide to Living in Balance. Tuttle Publishing.
• (1999). Simple Zen: A Guide to Living Moment by Moment. Tuttle Publishing.
• (1998). Zen Around the World: A 2500‐Year Journey from the Buddha to You. Tuttle
Publishing.
Psychotherapy, Hypnosis, and Neuroscience
• (2012 forthcoming). Neuroscience for Clinicians. Springer
• (2010). Neuro‐Hypnosis: Using Self‐Hypnosis to Activate the Brain for Change.
Norton Professional Books.
• (2010). The Dao of Neuroscience: Combining Eastern and Western Principles for
Optimal Therapeutic Change. Norton Professional Books
• (2005) & (1999). Effective Self‐Hypnosis: Pathways to the Unconscious & cassette
or Audio CD. Radiant Dolphin Press.
• (2004). Self‐Hypnosis for Women & Audio CD. Radiant Dolphin Press.
• (2001). Self‐Hypnosis Plain and Simple. Boston: Tuttle Publishing.
• (2001). Timeless Teachings from the Therapy Masters. Radiant Dolphin Press.
Other Books
• (2005). Taekwondo: Building on the Basics. Radiant Dolphin Press.
• (2002). Chung Do Kwan: The Power of Tae Kwon Do. Tuttle Publishing.
• (2002). A Perfect World: The Rom Files. Radiant Dolphin Press.
Foreign Editions
• (2010). Polish. Meditation for Therapists and their Clients
• (2006). Italian. Fondamenti di Yoga. Oriental Press.
• (2006). Indonesian. Simple Buddhism. BIP, PT Bhuanailmu Populer.
• (2006). Indonesian. Simple Taoism. BIP, PT Bhuanailmu Populer.
• (2006). Indonesian. Simple Confucianism. BIP, PT Bhuanailmu Populer.
• (2004). Russian: Zen in Ten. Mockbb.
• (2003). Spanish (Spain): Auto hypnosis Facil Y Simple. Arkano Books.
• (2002). Italian. Autoipnosi Ericksoniana. Astrolabio.
• (2002). Swedish. Tao Fran Borjan. Svenska Forlaget.
• (2001). Spanish (Spain). El Zen Simple. Oceano Ambar.
• (2000). Spanish (Spain). El Tao Simple. Oceano Ambar.
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